When it comes to food and drink packaging, brands are having to become more innovative with their designs to stand out from the crowd. However, bold and bright designs aren’t the only way to catch your customers attention.
As we look forward to 2018, we analyse what types and styles of food packaging will achieve the best results.
1. Personalise Your Packaging
Source: The Dieline
As we’ve seen in 2017, customers want to be able to connect more with the brands they’re buying from. They want to feel a part of something. Personalisation has been a great answer to this and we’ve seen many brands this year adding a unique blend to their products. Its success lies in creating an intimacy with the end user.
Technology is making achieving this even easier and has been the main catalyst for this new trend. We’ve seen the likes of Nutella offering personalised jars, Coke creating bottles with your name on and Heineken allowing customers to adapt and personalise six-packs. If you’re thinking of doing this with your product, make sure you’re dealing with a printing company that offers short run bespoke packaging
Brands have surprisingly discovered a whole new source of revenue from packaging personalisation. Studies have shown that customers are willing to pay more for personalised products. So this is one trend not to ignore in 2018.
3. Minimalism Packaging
Source: The Dieline
We live in a noisy world. Our lives are driven by notifications and adverts following us around the web. The age of loud and eye-popping packaging is passing. So, what’s taking its place?
Minimalism.
Customers are desiring less. Not only less but better. Packaging in 2018 will be minimalistic with a premium, glamourised touch. The new minimalistic food packaging will appeal to customers who are overwhelmed, with simple design.
Instead of shouting for your attention, these products will succeed by standing back. Their ability to catch your eye will be a result of shrinking away and speaking softly
3. Appeal to the Senses
Source: The Dieline
Even though this is a known principle of packaging design, brands are seeing positive results from integrating even more sensory elements to their product packaging. Regardless that it is argued that the visual element is most important due to its first impression, it is emerging that touch should be considered as the primary sense when it comes to packaging.
When customers feel your product packaging, they are subconsciously feeling for luxury, quality or freshness. Printing can help achieve this through tactics such as embossing, molded patterns and specialty materials.
Whilst these extra touches may increase the cost, the value they add whilst being handled by customers will be worth the extra investment.
4. Hyperrealistic Photography
Source: The Dieline
Hyperrealistic photography will be a growing trend this year as customers are appealed by packaging that shows what the product looks like inside. Often done to scale, this accurate representation takes any guesswork out of a purchase.
Social media is a prominent and favourable marketing strategy now and the use of hyperrealistic photography works well with this. The use of minimalist graphics combined with a flat lay style is the ultimate formula for shareable content.
5. Be Unique
Source: The Dieline
As difficult as this may sound, remember that your product exists because it isn’t like anything else. It has its own unique properties that can and should spread over to packaging. Customers are also demanding more and more to be treated as an individual and not one of the crowd.
As previously noted, packaging has a huge impact on customers perception of the product inside. Unique packaging gives you the best shot of grabbing your customers attention, increasing your brands awareness and reinforcing your brand message.
6. Relay Your Purpose
Source: The Dieline
Social good and brands have become crucial partners in recent years. In the age where customers look at brands to convey their values and purpose, it’s a missed opportunity not to tell your story and your reason for creating the products that you love on your packaging.
Customers treat the products they use and own as an extension of their own values. They want to tell everyone around them who they are as a person and why they matter. A brand that doesn’t tell its story on its packaging is not appealing to this essential and emotive side of their customers.
Whatever your packaging aspirations, talk to the experienced and friendly team at Short Run Packaging. Each and every member of our team has a combination of many years experience and expertise.
Get in touch to see how we can help with packaging design, printing, finishing and delivery of your products.